advisor 1-22-22

Different Drum

By KRISTY SMITH

So long, it’s been good to

know you, hot cocoa

If you asked our family
what our favorite part of
winter is, we would likely
answer it’s leveraging the
cold weather as an excuse to
indulge in large quantities of
hot tea and hot cocoa, both
of which we burn through
at an alarming rate – like
they’re going out of style.
In this case, it’s not so much
that they’ve gone out of
style, they’ve just gone out

... as in run out... as in
not on grocery store shelves
anymore.
Before continuing, I
need to sound a First World
Problem Alert (FWPA),
which indicates what
follows will be stupid,
petty and insignifi cant in
the bigger picture of things.
Alas, in the context of the
current COVID pandemic,
a hot cocoa shortage is the
equivalent of a pinky paper
cut versus a fractured femur.
But that’s possibly what you
were hoping for because
who doesn’t revel in the
revelation of someone else’s
ridiculous idiosyncrasies?! I
know I do.

During a typical winter,

our family is in seasonal

beverage heaven, slurping

down everything from hot

chocolate to hot tea and

hot-spiced cider, to spiked

eggnog, hot-buttered rum

and Poor Man’s Baileys

(my own concoction). Until

COVID encroached on

our lifestyle, we had never

given thought that we might

someday NOT have access

to all of the products we

know, love and take for

granted.

I grew up a Swiss Miss

hot chocolate drinker. Not

necessarily because I liked

it, but because it was one of

the most affordable brands

of hot chocolate. With four

children to supply with

cocoa, my mom needed

something at least a step

above muddy water with

which to pacify us without

obliterating her budget.

Swiss Miss fi t.

Unfortunately, after

sledding at our Aunt

Pauline’s house, we were

treated to a stovetop-

cooked mixture of milk

and Nestle’s Quik, a more

time-consuming hot cocoa

combination that tasted

far yummier. And when

we spent the night at our

beloved Grandma Kate’s

place, we were exposed

to individual packets of

Carnation rich hot cocoa

mix – even more delectable.

My kids were reared

on unlimited Carnation

hot cocoa, which has made

my rationing of it during

COVID highly perplexing

to them. “Mom, you forgot

to get Carnation Rich Hot

Chocolate after I fi nally

remembered to put it on

the grocery list,” my son

recently complained.

“I didn’t forget it, the

store was out,” I corrected.

“Say what?!” he

wanted to know. Suddenly,

the formerly vague and

distant supply chain crisis

became personal. With tears

in his eyes, he visualized a

huge barge carrying crates

of hot chocolate stranded in

a crowded harbor. This was

far worse than the global

shortage of toilet paper,

which is only made worse

by hot cocoa consumption.

Adding to the hot cocoa

defi cit is the increased

demand for it, fueled by

the current popularity

of hot chocolate bombs:

round balls of chocolate

colorfully decorated on the

outside, with cocoa powder

and other fl avorings inside.

Chocolatiers buy huge

quantities of raw ingredients,

including hot cocoa powder

and marshmallows, to fi ll

them. The bombs dissolve

when dropped into cups of

boiling water.

They’re not popular

just in the USA, but

internationally. Rumor

has it that despite global

protests, North Korean has

been testing a mammoth hot

cocoa bomb that’s to die for.

I reassure my son

there’s still hot cocoa to be

had, but it’s at a premium

price. You can order a Land

O’ Lakes 34-pack of hot

cocoa (assorted fl avors)

for $20.03 at Amazon..

. multiple options, from
mint to butterscotch, artic
white chocolate, cinnamon,
Irish cream, caramel,
raspberry, smores, mocha,
and hazelnut, French vanilla
and even snickerdoodle. My
favorite? Amaretto.
That’s a relative bargain
compared to the 250-count
hot cocoa cubes offered for
$455 by National Pen at
Pens.com. I’m afraid to try
that brand for fear I’d like it
and want more! So, I settle
for a $6 packet containing
10 loose powder servings
of Ghirardelli Double
Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix.
No idea if it’ll be any good,
but it’s literally within my
grasp and the only container
of hot cocoa left on the shelf
at the grocery store. It’s
only money, honey. Right?
Bombs away!

Kristy Smith’s Different

Drum humor columns

are archived at her blog:

diffdrum.wordpress.com

AMISH FURNITURE

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1600 S. Kalamazoo Ave.

Marshall, MI

just 2 miles South of the Fountain

269-248-

Open Tuesday to Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Closed Sunday and Monday

Visit Marshall’s All New

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Our school year runs from September through May

Children must be 3 or 4 by September 1, 2021

For more information please call the preschool at 248-310-

or email [email protected]

Follow us on Facebook at Christ Lutheran Preschool Marshall

for updates.

Christ Lutheran

Preschool

(A ministry of Christ Lutheran Church of Marshall)

440 West Drive North, Marshall

(2 blocks north of Michigan Avenue)

SERVICE NOW - SAVE BIG MONEY

CALL BEFORE PROGRAM IS DONE

HOURS M-F 8-5 Closed Sat. & Sun.

STATE OF MICHIGAN

COUNTY OF CALHOUN

PUBLICATION OF NOTICE TO

CREDITORS

DECEDENT’S TRUST ESTATE

DECEDENT: William F. Morris

Date of Birth: 09/07/

TO ALL CREDITORS:

NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The

decedent, William F. Morris, who

lived at 168 Apperson, Battle

Creek, Michigan, died December

22, 2021.

Creditors of the decedent are

notified that all claims against the

William F. Morris Revocable Trust

Agreement dated December 19,

2001, will be forever barred unless

presented to: Pamela M. Sager, the

named Successor Trustee within 4

months after the date of publication

of this notice.

Date: January 12, 2022

Pamela M. Sager

7189 North 44th Street

Augusta, MI 49012

(269) 731-

Public Notice

In-Home Caregiver

Mellisa Jennings (517)630-

One-on-one interaction: Games, puzzles, or just

conversation with your loved one

Assists with mobility and memory

needs while providing companionship

Light housekeeping, doctor

appointments, and more!

References available upon request

Earlier this month, Marshall Community

Foundation’s Executive Director Shannon Tiernan

stopped by the Haven of Rest to deliver an

anonymous donor’s check of $1,500 supporting

the work the Haven does in service to Calhoun

County’s homeless. Accepting the check is Haven

of Rest Ministries CEO Daniel Jones.

Haven of Rest receives

$1,500 donation

Marshall Rotarian Bill Annis welcomed the

director of Marshall Parks and Recreation

Department Justin Miller to its Rotary meeting.

Miller gave Rotarians an idea of what’s happening

in the Parks and Rec departments. Miller stated

that this year’s department trip to Mackinac

Island is scheduled for October; grants have

been prepared for an indoor/outdoor archery

program this summer with the space adjacent

to Stuart’s Landing as the planned site - Miller is

excited about offering archery to various groups

in Marshall; Phase 1 for a parking lot at the Eaton

property is under way; the second phase moves to

the playground area as well as pickle ball courts;

The Alcott Park is scheduled to have swings and

picnic tables this spring which was fully funded

through grants and donations; children in school

now have basketball programs. Miller said that

adult programs have been slow to start up and the

new staff working with Justin is making progress.

To learn more about Rotary, visit us at Marshall

Rotary Club on Facebook.

Marshall Rec Dept.

director speaker at Rotary

Call

269-781-